CALL: Please contact 888-255-4728. Each UC service center is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Mondays are traditionally a heavy call day. Please note - If your SSN ends in an odd number — 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 — please call the service center for assistance on Monday. If your SSN ends in an even number — 0, 2, 4, 6, 8 — please call on Tuesday. The UC service centers will continue to accept calls from claimants with any SSN on Thursdays and Fridays.

Phone Number: Please contact 888-255-4728. Each UC service center is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Mondays are traditionally a heavy call day. Please note - If your SSN ends in an odd number — 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 — please call the service center for assistance on Monday. If your SSN ends in an even number — 0, 2, 4, 6, 8 — please call on Tuesday. The UC service centers will continue to accept calls from claimants with any SSN on Thursdays and Fridays.

Pennsylvania Unemployment Questions

I was told by my employer that I may be laid off intermittently during the next several months. Am I eligible for unemployment benefits?

To be eligible for UC benefits, you must meet certain requirements-

You must be financially eligible.

You must have a qualifying separation from employment.

You must continuously maintain your eligibility for benefits, by satisfying the UC laws.

If your hours of work have been reduced or you otherwise continue to work less than your normal full-time work week, you may be eligible for partial benefits.

What happens after I’ve applied for UI benefits?

You will receive a total of three mailers from the PA Department of Labor after applying for UI benefits. The first mail will contain an official Notice of Financial Determination. The second mail will contain a Claim Confirmation Letter (which is form UC-360) and a PIN (Personal Identification Number) for PAT, filing over the telephone. The third mailer will have a printed copy of PA UC Handbook which is sent to you within a span of 10 days after you’ve applied for UI Benefits.

What are the registration requirements after I file my application for benefits?

You must register for employment search services with the Pennsylvania CareerLink® system within 30 days after you file your application for benefits. If you are not already registered, create a Keystone ID and Password, using your complete Social Security number. Use your Keystone ID and Password to login and to update relevant information.

I am currently in another state, do the registration requirements affect me?

Yes. You must register for employment search services in your local labor market in that state within thirty days after your Pennsylvania application for benefits is filed, but you must also register in the Pennsylvania CareerLink® system by the same deadline.

How do I request to receive my benefits by debit card?

You do not need to sign up to receive your payments via debit card. If you do not have direct deposit, a debit card will be mailed to you automatically after you have been determined financially eligible for benefits.

If I run out of unemployment compensation benefits, would I qualify for extended benefits?

No, Pennsylvania is not currently in an Extended Benefit period. Extended benefits are only applicable during an Extended Benefit period. Under the Extended Benefit period, it is payable only if the qualified individual has exhausted the regular benefits under the Pennsylvania UC Law.

What is the PAT number and what are its operational hours for filing a teleclaim?

PAT Toll-Free number is 888-255-4728 and the operational hours are from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Sunday, and 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Monday through Friday. If the number is busy, hang up and try again after sometime.

Will receiving a pension make me ineligible for UC benefits?

When filing for unemployment compensation (UC) benefits, you are required to report all pensions, including retirement, retired pay, annuities or other similar periodic payments and lump-sum pension payments. Pension and retirement payments are deducted from UC benefits if a base year employer maintained or contributed to the pension plan and if the base year employment affected your eligibility for, or increased the amount of, the pension. If the base year employer alone contributed to the pension, 100 percent of the prorated, weekly amount of the pension is deductible. If you contributed in any amount to the pension, 50 percent of the prorated, weekly pension amount is deductible. Pensions are deductible from weekly benefits on a dollar-for-dollar basis. The partial benefit credit is not applicable.

A lump-sum pension payment is not deducted from UC, unless you had the option of taking a monthly pension. In addition, a lump-sum pension is not deductible if you "roll over" the lump sum into an eligible retirement plan such as an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) within 60 days of receipt.

Social Security and Railroad Retirement pensions are not deducted from UC benefit payments.

May I collect UC benefits while attending school?

You may not be eligible for UC benefits if you quit your job to enroll in an academic credit training program. There is no requirement that you must be available for full-time or permanent work. Your work history can be full-time, part-time, or seasonal. However, you must not refuse suitable work when offered. You may also be ineligible if you refuse a referral to a job opportunity.

What is the PREP and RESEA program and why must I attend?

The Profile Reemployment Program (PREP) and Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessment (RESEA) Program are Pennsylvania’s version of the federally mandated Worker Profiling and Reemployment Service system. PREP and RESEA are designed to identify claimants who are most likely to exhaust unemployment compensation (UC) benefits and may need assistance to find a new job.

You may be ineligible for benefits for any week in which you fail to participate in reemployment services to which you have been referred through PREP and RESEA. If selected, you must participate in these mandatory programs unless there is justifiable reason for your failure to participate.

Questions & Answers

I applied on 1/22. I received a letter dated 2/15 saying that I was eligible to receive benefits. the first payment has been made my account 3/5/18, but it only for the two most recent weeks. I know there is a waiting week. I was expecting to be paid for 5/6 weeks for which I filed claims. Why was I only [aid for two?

Got notice saying attendance is mandatory at resea meeting..I belong to the painters Union and can only get my jobs through Union hiring hall.. I thought my attendance is not required because of this condition….can anyone help ty

I filed my claim in Feb 2017…my salary at my new job was not included and I make 3 times as much. Am I able to cancel my claim and file an initial claim in April, changing my base year and including my new salary?

I have been on short term disability due to back surgeries for the past 4 months. I have been at my job for 9+ years. I got a phone call today stating that since my short term disability is now changing over to long term disability he is being terminated. Can I file for unemployment benefits until my long term disability gets approved and begins? I need to pay bills and was not expecting this. any help is appreciated 🙂

I work in a retail corp. I am a key carrying supervisor. I deal with western union transaction. A fraudulent transaction was done using my I’d and password on a day I was not on the clock.. the person who is responsible for the transaction was to be set up by the HR office. Because she wasn’t and we were us I allowed 2 people to use my information to do there job. So I was terminated because of a security violation. Am I eligible for unemployment

I have a 2 weeks notice to my employer for office politics and being harassed. I did break several rules that I was comfusdd about. The office was a toxic environment and started to affect my health. I only worked 2 more into my documented 2 week notice and was terminated. Am I eligible for benefits?

Still employed but due to lack of work, hours, and pay, I need to file for Partial Unemployment. Doing this online, there is a section where the questions don’t fit my needs as it asks “What is the reason you are no longer employed?” The next question: “Yes or No, Were you told by your employer that you would be recalled to your job?” If Yes, I need to enter a date. The lack of 40 work hours will go on for awhile. How can I receive partial benefits while still employed?

Looking for experienced middle aged male to do temporary field work. person would travel to site with one or two other field technicians. Person must be mechanically inclined and able to work with power tools such as a concrete core drill, able to lift up to 50 lbs